When to sign on

Different stages of life, different reasons to sign on

There are a few moments in life where we might come across the option of signing on. They are:

During schooling days

While we are still studying in Junior College/ Polytechnic/ ITE, we are presented with a choice of signing on for the Army, Navy or Air Force.

Reasons one might sign on during this time:

·         Passion of serving and defending nation

·         People whose families are in need of income

Below are the benefits of signing on when you are still a student:

·         Lump-sum bonus upon signing on

·         Getting salary while still in school

·         Able to plot out the path you take during NS

Starting of BMT

During the start of BMT, the recruitment centre of Army, Navy and Air Force would find opportunities to have a dialogue with recruits.

Reasons one might sign on during this time:

·         Passion of serving and defending nation

·         People whose families are in need of income

·         Not wanting to waste 2 years of their lives

Below are the benefits of signing on when you are in BMT:

·         Lump-sum bonus upon signing on

·         Getting salary while serving NS

·         Able to plot out the path you take during NS

 
Before ORD

Before one ORD, they can choose to sign on too.

Reasons one might sign on during this time:

·         People whose families are in need of income

·         Iron rice bowl

·         Not wanting to waste 2 years of their lives

·         Not sure what to do after NS

·         A career option for those who could not get a job after ORD

Below are the benefits of signing on when you are in BMT:

·         Stable income

·         Higher salary when compared with counterparts in the outside world

·         Career for life

All information in this blog post is based on things heard from others. Information might have changed since then. For more precise information, please contact the Army recruitment centre.

For more information about the reasons to sign on, read this related post.

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Reasons to sign on

Most of us may make the sound “pff” when we here our batch mates or friends signing on. Just like everything in life, although it comes with disadvantages, signing on have certain advantages too. Below are some of the reasons why people would want to sign on:

Before ink touches the contract, make sure your reasons are clear

·         Not wanting to waste 2 years of their life

Serving 2 years of NS in Singapore is mandatory for every Singaporean male. The army offers contracts of 5 years, of which 2 years of mandatory NS included. Therefore one only need to serve another 3 years which is not that tough considering one has already served 2 years (comfortable with army life and daily routine army life in camp). The pay for regulars (people who sign on) is relatively high when compared with counterparts of the workforce outside. They might use this additional time to decide if they had made the right choice of staying in the army or moving on to the outside world after 5 years.

·         Not sure what to do after NS

Many of us, by the time when we are about to get back our pink IC, still has not come out with a plan regarding our future (studying or working? Which career path? What to study?). People who are most likely to sign on do not know the answer to those questions. Therefore becoming an army regular gives them a source of income while they continue to ponder over those questions.

·         A place for those who dislike studies

Studying is not for everyone. People who dislike studying will not further their studies after NS. Also, there is a high chance that they will not get a job after NS because of their certification. Therefore becoming a member of the army will be a logical thing to do (if one does not intend to start his own business) as it provides a career, job security and income. It also provides upgrading courses for regulars who are interested in getting a certificate eventually (higher NiTech/Diploma/Degree).

·         Iron rice bowl

Unlike the outside world, the chance of getting laid off in the army is close to zero. Therefore, one is highly likely to stay in service for the rest of their lives.

·         Needs for family

People whose family are in need of money would sign on too. Its starting salary is high and provides a stable income.

·         Passion

Need I say more? They are still some people out there who want to serve and die for their country.

All information in this blog post is based on things heard from others. Information might have changed since then. For more precise information, please contact the Army recruitment centre.

Read More